Photography Tour – Guest Photos
As promised, the lady photographers sent me samples of their work from our recent wetland tours, and I think you will enjoy seeing them as much as I have. A picture paints a thousand words, so without further chit chat from me, I will now let the photos tell the story. Then, at the bottom, I have a little story to share with these lady photographers, and I hope they come visit and read it.
Now, these ladies are all friends and I think they are in the same photo club in Baton Rouge. If you would like to vote for your favorite, put the caption in the comment section, and maybe we will have a “Reader’s Choice Award”. If Dede continues to bring ladies down here, then we can continue this feature, and then at the end of each year, we can put the reader’s choice from each of these posts in a grand finale of reader’s choice! What do you think of that idea?
Enjoy and vote!
BW
Just to give y’all an example of what a small world it is that I work in, let me share a little story with you. Houma Tourism booked a photo tour with me months ago for the deputy editor of GQ France and a photographer from New Orleans. The editor, Severine, is doing a feature about south Louisiana, and it was her first trip to this area. The photog, Will, seemed to know quite a bit about the area since his move to New Orleans several years ago. Well, this photo tour happened after I had been with the above picture-taking ladies. There we were, floating along in the swamp, snapping photos when Will mentioned how this trip had been the highlight of their journey so far. That made me feel great. We disembarked at a camp in the swamp to enjoy our lunch of French brie and fresh-baked bread when he mentioned having been down in the Chauvin/Cocodrie area days before. He explained how he was standing on a dock taking photos of people fishing, the sunset, etc. when all of a sudden he was surrounded by “little old ladies” taking pictures and exchanging notes about f-stops and aperture settings. I listened with a smile on my face as he talked on, all the while giving me the impression that he felt like his space had been invaded, until he said one woman actually engaged him and was quite pleasant to talk with. I just laughed as I shook my head saying what a small world this is, even though it covers lots of water and marsh, explaining to him how those ladies had been on my boat just a few days before.
So, photog ladies, did you know that you were sharing that scenic dock down in Cocodrie with an award-winning professional photog who shoots for the New Yorker, New York Times, the Times-Picayune, and the like? At 32, he’s very good at what he does, and in case you didn’t catch his name, it’s Will Widmer, and here you can see samples of his work.
I love Dede Lusk’s ‘Swamp’ and Beverly Coates’ ‘Great Blue Flying’. Ah, da South.
Anna, can you pick a no. 1, please?
You/y’all don’t make it easy for us! I’m going with “Great Blue Flying” as my favorite.
I love/pick Linda Medine — Swamp. the colors are fabulous. But I like all of them.
‘Cypress Knee’ (Cathy Smart) gets my vote…closely followed by Linda Medine’s ‘Swamp’ for it’s subtle surreal touchup.
Some great photos there! I would love it if “Dede Lusk continues to bring ladies down there”. Think I vote for Rene’s sunrise.
#1 vote for Cypress Knee (Cathy Smart). I love seeing the things floating just below the surface and the layers of life. #2 for Spanish Moss (Tony Goss), I like the moss blowing in the wind.
GIRL, where have you been?????
My vote for number one is for Renee Pierce- Swamp photo. Knowing what the swamp really is, this photo is for real.
Linda Medine – Sunrise!!!!!!!
Thanks again, Capt. Wendy, for the fabulous boat tour. Would definitely love to come back and do it again! My vote is for Tony Goss-Spanish Moss. Love the moss blowing in the wind.
This was a really hard choice! All of the photos are beautiful! I have had such a slow connection speed this morning, it took a long time to look at the large photos of each choice. I guess my favorite is Toni Goss’ photo called Spanish Moss. I love the lighting.
I enjoyed the story you told about the other photographer!
Theresa Low – Swamp
I’m loving all these votes!
Great Blue Flying.
I love the idea of a readers choice award! All of these photos are good but I would have to pick Swamp by Linda Medine as the one I like best.
Cypress Knee (Cathy Smart)for sure! Takes me back to when you gave us the tour Wendy <3
Linda Medine – Swamp
Beautiful pictures. Vote for Renee Pierce – Sunrise.
Oh, gosh…. They’re all amazing photos and, oh, so hard to choose just one but the one that really grabs me is Linda Medine’s ‘Swamp.’
I had to laugh at your story. I can just see that fellow surrounded by a gaggle of ‘little old ladies’, chattering about F-stops and aperture settings! lol
Been a bit AWOL. Life and work and chores have intefered with my online time a lot lately. I had three days off week before last but wanted to get some cleaning and decluttering done. If I’d turned this computer on….well, it’s a good thing I didn’t. I’d still be pondering on all that needs doing.
They are all outstanding, its like asking the people at the baby nursey window in the hoapital to pick the best kid.
But Linda Medine’s “Swamp” would be mine also.
Foamheart, it’s just something about those indigo cypress knees.
Keep these votes coming, while I go see how the election is coming along! Should know final results by 8:30 tonight!!!!
Oh yeah, GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Meant to do this earlier today!
Renee Pierce The “SUNRISE” would be my pick. The picture was so bright and refreshing. ALL OF THEM WERE GREAT.
I’d take Beverly Coates’ “Boat on Lake.” They’re all great, but that captures a different aspect of the place that I really like.
I’m going to be hanging around, watching. Good luck, yourself!
Well, friends, my opponent won by 86 votes! Thank y’all for all your support and encouragement!
Oh, no….. I was thinking about you all day and had my fingers crossed so hard, they hurt.
You know you’d have had my vote, if I’d been eligible to do so.
Sorry about the election. I know you campaigned hard.
On a lighter note. I just wanted to say , I tried. Terrebonne Parish would not accept my vote early, vote often online ballot. LOL
I’m starting to wonder if there is really such a thing as vote early, vote often online voting!!!!!
I wonder if these metal sign stakes could be used in the garden? Tomato stakes maybe? LOL!!!
Save ’em few for the next election.
Great Blue Flying- Beverly Coates :0)
READERS’ CHOICE VOTING ENDS TONIGHT!!!!
I like Theresa Low’s cormorant that is actually a water turkey.
You are so funny!!!
No, really!
It is a small world. I did chat with Will on the dock that afternoon. Whenever I see someone with a camera, it is only Southern courtesy to strike up a conversation. He mentioned he was on assignment so I knew he was serious. Come to find out, we are both members of the New Orleans Photo Alliance and both of us are planning to attend PhotoNOLA in December. Please let me know when his article is published. Dede
I’ll refer to my 2 earlier comments. “Vote early and vote often” and “Great Blue Flying”. LOL
You made me laugh!!! sorry, second vote doesn’t count, LOL!
Okay, Choupiquer insists that I correct Theresa Low’s caption to reflect that the bird is an Anhinga, (cousin to the cormorant), and in his opinion, this is better than any photo you can find on the internet of this bird. Also, he points out that the reason it is called a water turkey is because the tail feathers resemble a turkey.
After a bit o’ research (since I didn’t know the real differences in these two birds), it appears that this is definitely an Anhinga (aka “Snake Bird”). A couple things to note – they have a straight, pointed beak – Cormorants have a hook in the end. The plumage is lighter, as seen in this lovely photo (of a male, it appears).
One interesting note is that both Anhingas & Cormorants do not have the oily feathers o’ most seabirds to make them ‘waterproof’ – making them less buoyant – and able to dive deeper…it also means they must take time to dry off occasionally.
Seems Anhingas are less often found near salt water…obviously there are exceptions!
This site has a good detailed comparison o’ both: http://j.mp/1pRYBMc